A Day in the Life
by SoundGeare
Summary: A sequel to In Bloom and Innosense. Link and Malon are now fifteen. Rated T for light language, but this is only included as far as it helps convey the scene.
1. Chapter 1

Link whipped a hand back to wipe some sweat from his brow. In such summer months the barn absorbed all the sun's heat and kept it swirling inside like an oven. He didn't have much time to get the whole oily layer though because Ingo began to grumble even as his hand slipped away.

"Keep it there boy or you're going to drop this damn thing on my head."

Link just nodded and took a better grip. There wasn't much room for conversation in the sweltering air of work and nerves. A semisolid mud interwoven with grass and debris covered the floor on this edge and it was hard to keep balance even when concentrating. Link struggled to support himself and to clamp the heavy lengths of wood in place while Ingo worked. It was difficult because, even under such a situation he needed to stay precisely still so Ingo could install the hinges.

Two of the hinges had already broken, but that was okay because they had bought a large surplus several months back. Some of the older doors had started to rot from spring moisture in the air and needed to be replaced entirely. The whole process was driving Ingo's nerves into a hot, brittle fury and Link could only try to avoid setting the man off.

With a manic crunch, the third hinge snapped and tore from the wall in a sodden burst of splinters. The door half attached rolled away from Link's grasp and Ingo grunted as it knocked him in the chest. He fell backward against the edge of the stall and the heavy door tumbled after him. Link lunged forward to get a new grip on the turning piece of wood, only barely got a hold of it before the section crushed Ingo against the slick floor.

Link scrambled in the pen's muck, trying to find a foothold and leaning back as far as he could dare. Ingo's eyes were flashing white and wide beneath their heavy brows and the man flopped about struggling to slip out from under the collapse. The churning mud sloshed about underfoot as Link fought to maintain an already slippery balance. Ingo grabbed the edge of the stall and hauled himself away. Link released the door and let himself fall beside it. He skidded in the surface of mud and straw and found himself leaning against the edge of the stall.

Ingo stood fuming over the whole mess, his face red and mustache practically twitching out of anger. Link relaxed against the wall and let out a deep sigh. His heart was pounding so hard that he could feel it in his ears. For a moment he felt like laughing, as the absurdity of this crisis struck him. The danger was nothing like what he had faced a couple of years ago but hell it was still demanding to face.

"What the hell was that!? Am I going to get killed every time we have to fix something around here? This is insane this whole place is just falling apart and it's going to smash me into nothing and hell this is just great. This is perfect! That's another hinge broken not even counting how long it's going to take to get that door back together. This spring moisture, it might as well just be rain to-"

"Hey Ingo, don't worry about it." Link coughed at this. Sweat was still rolling down his face but at least now he could use his whole hand to wipe it all off. "There are plenty more of those hinges in the cupboard. Why don't we just step back for a minute and then try again."

Ingo wandered over to the cupboard, grumbling about the situation and mocking Link's tone of voice as he did so. It took just a second for Ingo to get the bucket down and just another for him to throw the whole thing on the ground.

"Hey, what did you do that for?"

Ingo just kept cursing and staring at the ceiling. Link pulled himself up and followed to get what he was looking at. He fished a handful of hinges out of the mud, which was more solidly packed with straw and better kept in this area. Link saw immediately what had driven Ingo into a second burst of rage. The hinges were all covered with a thick layer of rust which flaked off at the touch. Link managed to snap one between his fingers and then just dropped the rest.

"Well that explains all the trouble we've been having mounting the doors. Guess we overlooked that with the heat getting at us the way it is."

The observation didn't seem to be doing anything for Ingo's temper. His face was turning a new shade of red as he pointed a quivering finger up at the ceiling. Link followed his gaze and tried to block out the furious muttering. Just over the cupboard, a section of tin from the roof had given way in a jagged, uneven hole. The sky was visible between the jagged sheets of metal. Link glanced back down at Ingo and saw that the man's anger was only getting worse. He kept cursing and groaning and waving his arms around in a dismantled fit of futile aggravation.

"It's ruined... It's all..."

"Hey Ingo, I'll just head into Kakariko to get some replacements. That won't be too hard."

The man grumbled back at him and Link could hardly tell if it was an affirmative or a curse.

"You just find something else to take your time and I'll go get more hinges and some tin to patch the roof. We can get back to this tomorrow. We didn't really need those new doors up right away. Okay? You just go back to the house and I'll get some new materials."

Ingo managed to pull his meltdown back together long enough to pass Link a rough nod. His eyes were still clamped half shut and his jaw muscles showed knotted through the skin. Once his assent was given, Ingo just stamped away from the scene of frustration. He continued to grumble all the way to the door, and Link wiped some more sweat away while the man left. He was really an alright person underneath the furnace of his temper, but that was quicksilver enough to mask any hint of a friendly demeanor.

Link started to scoop the fallen hinges back into their bucket, but stopped as footsteps entered the barn. Malon appeared with a bundle of leather harnesses under her arm. She glanced back toward the door, which slammed shut with Ingo's passing.

"What's he gone off about?"

"There's some damage to the roof and the bucket of extra hinges is all rusty."

She laughed and that made Link smile.

"I'll never understand how he gets so worked up over things."

"Yeah, it's not his fault though. Anyway, I'll be going into Kakariko to get some replacements. Is there anything you want me to pick up while I'm there? I'll probably be heading down there as soon as I can wash this gunk off."

"You're going to Kakariko, huh? Well that's a coincidence, because I'm going to Kakariko. I just came in here to get some horses for the cart."

"Oh hell, you're right. I completely forgot about the milk deliveries."

"Don't worry about it. You're welcome to tag along as long as you help with the deliveries. Kakariko's not the only place I'll be going, so you might want to tell Ingo to put off installing the doors until tomorrow."

"I already did that. Thanks for the offer, just give me a minute to wash this stuff off and then I'll join you."

"Alright. I'll be loading the cart right in front of the house. Try not to miss it."

Link smiled and left the barn, headed into the house to wash up.


	2. Chapter 2

The cart trundled forward across the field at the speed of a single horse's comfortable gait. Several large crates full of metal milk jugs were piled in the back and Link heard them sloshing in time with the cart's motion. The summer heat was not nearly so oppressive out in the field. A gentle breeze cut across their path and wicked away any unpleasant weight of the day so Link could settle back and enjoy the view.

He could not remember exactly when he had last ventured off the ranch. He kept trying to think of the answer but nothing would come up. A scattering of healthy trees covered the long plain and even stuck up at the horizon in most directions. Malon guided the reins while leaning halfway against him, but still managed to keep her head high and aware of the world before them.

"So we'll be going to Kakariko first," she said. "You've never been along on the milk delivery so I thought I should tell you. First Kakariko to deliver to the families there. I have list but I don't really need to check it anymore. After we've finished that we will deliver to Castle Town, drop a crate off at the castle, and then make one last delivery before returning home."

"Okay, I got it. I'll only take a minute getting supplies in Kakariko and then I can help you with the deliveries." He looked back at the solid crates which nevertheless rattled softly with every movement. "How many of these are going to Kakariko?"

"A crate for Kakariko, two for Castle Town, one crate for the castle itself, and then one more for the last delivery and then we're done."

Link nodded and settled back against her. As an activity this was infinity more pleasant than working in the barn, but Link couldn't help thinking that he had skipped out on some chore or other. There was always something to be done on the ranch, but Talon hadn't seemed to have a problem with him tagging along for the deliveries. He glanced off to the side and caught something dark rustling around near the roots of a tree. The longer he watched it the less human it seemed. The thing's whole body was one bulbous form and it rippled against the tree with a strange, otherworldly movement that he'd only seen in dungeons.

"Hey, stop the cart for a second. I've got to go check this out. Do you see that thing over there, right there by the base of that tree?"

"Huh, yeah I think so. What is it? I've never seen anything like that."

The cart meandered to a slow halt and Link vaulted over the side. Approaching, he began to wish for his sword, but it was back at the house leaning safely against the corner of his bed. There had been no reason to take it, but that old thought began to seem foolish as he grew nearer. Malon climbed down and began to walk just behind him. He had fought without his sword before, so this thing shouldn't be a problem, but still he wished that he had the tool with him now.

The figure seemed to turn toward him, but Link couldn't quite tell. Its surface was an amorphous blob and Link could only imagine it to be faceless and featureless. It shifted toward him slightly and Link took this as an attack. He rushed forward to meet it in case the creature might try to dart past him and get at Malon.

He stopped just a couple feet short of driving his foot through the monster, and sighed with a heat in his cheeks. The only sound was rustling leaves in the wind and Malon's slow footsteps behind him. The monster was just a swaying bush with a tattered coat caught on the top. Link just looked down at the thing and groaned a little before Malon caught up. She stepped up beside him and didn't even look at the decoy, not at first.

She just looked at him and asked, "What's wrong?"

Link just laughed and pointed down at the false alarm. "It was nothing. Just nerves or something made me see this."

He reached down and pulled the mangled coat loose. The wind caught at it immediately and pulled it away rolling across the field's swaying grass. Malon watched it go and then looked at the naked bush, and then laughed along with him.

"You weren't really so bored that you had to invent a monster, were you?"

Link laughed at this as they walked back toward the cart.

"Of course not. I don't even know where that came from. Just my imagination, but... come on let's get going."

They climbed back itno the cart and Malon set the horse pulling again. It wasn't long before they reached Kakariko and left the cart beside the foot of the long stairway there. Malon allowed the horse to wander the grass area, confident that it wouldn't go far. They cracked open one of the crates and each took a few tins per hand. They clanked together a little on the way up the stairs, but Malon remarked that it would be easier having him along since they wouldn't have to carry the milk up in two trips like she usually did.

The sunlight was warm as they entered the town and people walked about placidly from house to house or sometimes just lounged in the grass between. The first few houses they came to were empty, so Malon said to just leave the milk on the doorstep. The deliveries only took a few minutes because every house was close together, and they ended with just one tin, knocking on the last door. A woman answered and smiled at Malon before inviting them in.

Malon left the tin on the woman's counter and they all sat down at a table. She explained that this was a friend of hers named Jean who she liked to visit whenever she came to town. Jean was a few years older but they had known each other for a long time. Link sat at Malon's side while they talked and caught up with each other, but he wasn't sure what he could say.

From another room, a little girl wandered in and stared at them. Jean called her over and said that this was her daughter Alice. Malon had obviously known the girl for a long time as well and explained to Link that she was four years old. Her father was one of the men working on the last of the town's construction and he would be back later, after they left for Castle Town. Jean offered them some of the milk but Malon just laughed.

"It's yours and besides, we have enough back at the ranch."

Link watched Alice standing beside her mother. The little girl stared back at him and he couldn't help taking notice of the distinct resemblance. Eventually Alice left back into the other room and some time after that Malon said that they should probably get going to finish the deliveries. They all said goodbye and parted at the doorstep.

From there they found their way to one of the remaining construction sites. Link bought the supplies he needed from one of the workers and Malon pointed Jean's husband among the brickwork. After that they headed back down the steps to harness the horse again, which had not wandered, and begin their journey to Castle Town.


	3. Chapter 3

The bridge clacked with a cautious thunder as they rolled over it. After that it was cobblestones which made their own racket beneath the cart. Link watched the crowds of Castle Town approaching and felt something of the first time he had seen the place. He tried to think of the last time he had left the ranch and entered this heavy bustle. It had been several years and he had almost forgotten the coarse, blustery presence.

The cart rattled forward slowly past the babbling throng until Malon pulled it up alongside the fountain in the center of town. She didn't release the horse this time, but it seemed content to stand in front of the cart. There wasn't as much room to wander here. As they pulled a few tins from the back, Malon waved into the crowd and Link saw a guard in shiny armor nod as he approached. As they left the cart there to go make deliveries, he took up a watchful place beside it.

Most of the homes they came to were occupied and opened up after just a couple knocks. They were all friendly and recognized Malon, and even a one or two asked about her companion. She greeted them all by name and asked how they had been since the last delivery. Some had stories about the past week and others just said they had been fine and asked about her. Malon interacted with everyone she met as if they were old friends, but Link didn't know any of them and they had no idea about him. Only a couple even mentioned him before they closed the door. He always acted friendly whenever speaking to them, but felt like a stranger standing between two established friends.

One of the last deliveries took them into the Hyrule shooting range. The massive proprietor smiled when Malon entered and greeted her by name with a hearty laugh. He asked how she had been and how the day was treating her. She smiled back and responded cheerily. The exchange only took a moment while they set his tins onto the counter, and afterward he cocked his head at Link with a strange look in his eyes. Link couldn't figure out what the glance was supposed to mean, but it only lasted a second so he didn't bother.

They bid farewell and headed back out to the cart. Malon thanked the guard, using the name Derrick, and handed him the last tin she had been carrying. He smiled and stood back while they climbed onto the cart. They started to ride toward the castle and Link laughed.

Malon turned her head at him, "What?"

"It's just been a while since I've seen this many people."

"I understand. I used to get lonely sitting at the ranch away from everyone, so that's why I offered to do this. It used to be Ingo who went door to door making the deliveries, but I imagine it wasn't quite as personal that way."

"Hey, you! Malon and Link!"

They looked back to see a brawny hand sticking out of the crowd and waving. Malon pulled the cart to a stop and they watched that body pull itself from within the mass of others. It was the owner of the shooting range who eventually appeared alongside the cart with a wide grin on his face.

"Thanks for waiting. I knew I recognized him from somewhere! You're that kid, oh I knew it!" The man let out a huge guffaw and slapped Link on the back. He had to brace himself against a section of the cart to keep from falling. "I remember when you used to come in with that little slingshot and..." he raised his hands to mime the gesture of aiming, still laughing so hard he could barely hold the arm out straight. "You'd hit all the targets every time, dead center! Where did you disappear to? I haven't seen such a great shot since."

"Oh I've been working at the ranch," Link said, "I haven't really been away much for a while."

"You shouldn't squander that kind of talent, especially when it came to you so young. I've seen full grown adults who would be put to shame standing next to you when you where... what was that, twelve? Ten? I don't know, but you were one of the best I've ever seen. How about you come back and try again sometime?"

"I don't know, maybe." Link said. "There's a lot of work to be done on the ranch and I'm sure I'm more than a little bit rusty. I haven't done much shooting lately, just work with horses."

"It doesn't matter. That kind of raw talent just doesn't go away. I'll give you the first couple of games for free, just to get warmed up. Come along whenever you want to try. I'll be waiting there."

"Oh alright," Link said, "It might be fun. I'll have to find my slingshot, or maybe I'll use my bow this time."

"Either one," the man said, starting off back through the crowd. He was chuckling to himself and kept glancing back at Link as if expecting him to disappear. He leaned over his shoulder and shouted one he was a good distance away. "I knew I'd seen you before. I never forget a face!"

Malon started to wave to him but he had already turned around and couldn't see her. After a moment they set off for the castle, smiling in the noontime sun.


	4. Chapter 4

The cart pulled to a slow stop before the heavy castle gate and its two guards. They stood to the side with faces mostly hidden beneath silvery helmets. Malon waved down to them as they approached and the foremost guard approached them at a slow march. He peered up at them and the sun illuminated his face for a moment as his eyes passed over them quickly.

"Hello Malon, who is this with you?"

"This is Link, he is coming along for the delivery today."

The guard nodded and then turned around. He gestured up to the top of the wall and held a hand up to his mouth to shout.

"Hey, the milk delivery is here. Get that gate open." The metal lattice began to rumble upward and he nodded at this. The guard turned back to them and said, "Alright, just wait here a moment for that to rise. Have a good time on the grounds."

The guard walked over to his previous station beside his partner. The gate slid upward until the way was clear. Just before Malon started the horse and cart moving again, the second guard called over.

"Hey, hold on a second. I think I recognize him. Wasn't he that kid we kept having to throw out a couple years ago?"

Link felt struck by the words and was too shocked by the association to actually speak. He wasn't even sure what to say, or what would happen if they realized he was the same kid. The first guard cocked his head to peer at Link, but ultimately just shook his head.

"No, that kid said he was from the forest and this is just some farmhand the ranch hired."

"I swear they look just the same."

"That kid had a sword on his back. This is just someone coming along to help her get that crate inside. Sure was a persistent little bastard, though... I wonder what ever happened to him? But no, this is someone else entirely. You two can go on through. Sorry for the delay."

Malon started the horse moving again and they rolled on through the gate. It scraped shut behind them and Link could just barely hear the guards beginning some conversation.

"Did you really try to sneak into the castle?"

"Yeah, yeah I did," Link said, grinning at the memory. It was hard to think of doing something like that now. His new life was so quiet and unobtrusive compared to what he had led before. "Actually, you were there for that part."

"Was I really? I don't remember that. You'd think I would remember something like that."

"That was one of the times when your dad made the delivery and he fell asleep."

"That hardly clears it up."

He laughed.

"It was the first day we met. First out in Castle Town and then you gave me the cuckoo egg later. I waited a few hours by the gate and then climbed in once everything was dark."

"Wish I could've seen that part. Well, here we're coming to the delivery door. Maybe we shouldn't talk about breaking in."

She pulled the cart to a stop and they jumped down. Malon went over and knocked on a wooden door which seemed strange against all the grey stone architecture. It opened immediately and she was greeted by a couple people in white uniforms. They filed past her and started to pull the crate out of the back of the cart. They struggled under the weight of it and bobbed back and forth trying to regain their balance and move back toward the door.

Link looked over across the large field. Crisp trees stuck out though the soft summer air over a long expanse of thick grass. It all seemed to be more established than the last time he had been there. Just as perfectly groomed, but the trees were thicker and some of their roots stuck out above the ground. It was all subtly different from the place he had sneaked into almost five years before. He thought for a moment about finding Zelda and saying hello, but there was no real reason to. Just like the grounds, he hadn't seen her for five years and she would no doubt have changed drastically from the girl he met before.

The wooden door clacked shut and drew Link back from his short reverie. He climbed onto the cart alongside Malon and they headed for the gate. Once through they waved to the guards and returend through the town. The milling crowds parted slightly around and slowed the cart's passage to a crawl. From there it was a short ride to the field and another sunlit journey through the Hyrule countryside before the last stop meandered into sight.

Malon pointed it out as they approached, a small shack tucked against a couple of trees and far from any discernible civilization. Roofs of Castle Town could just be seen on the horizon, but that didn't make the place seem any less tucked away from humanity.

"The man who lives here is a little strange," she said, "but nice enough. I don't think he sees many other people."

Why is he staying out here away from everything?"

"I'm sure he'll offer a better explanation when you meet him yourself, but he's a monster hunter. He stays out here in the middle of nowhere hoping to find creatures that won't come any closer to civilization."

The cart slowed to a stop just beside the man's shack and Malon called out to 'Jack'. Link heard a few rattling sounds as they dismounted and soon a stringy man appeared out of the construction's only door. He seemed rather young, only a little older than Link or Malon. His clothes were worn and stained several colors.

"Who is this? How are you how have you been Malon?"

Link began to pull the last crate from the back of the cart and Jack came around to help him with the other side. Malon answered his questions before they had set the crate against the side of the shack. Jack looked at them both in the moment that followed and then just sat down on top of the crate. Link stepped back toward the cart.

"Malon says that you're a monster hunter."

Jack nodded his head and let loose a dry cough. His hair was dirty and his skin possessed a strangely grainy quality. Jack was certainly strong despite his degraded appearance. He looked around at everything while talking.

"Yes you'd be surprised how there aren't many overall in the world it would seem. Not like it was before you know. Who can even say why that is, but they all just seemed to dwindle off at one point."

"What's it like?" Link said, "To stay out here and hunt them?"

"A good job. People will pay well for them. Sometimes they have problems with monsters around and just want a specific beast gone so I'll go and take care of that or otherwise it's just the trophies people think are fascinating to have around. Bones of a Stalfos... Wolfos fang... They'll pay for that but it's just there aren't so many around nowadays. I've got to go looking deeper and deeper into the forest to ever find any. You two had better get going off now I have got to get working now I'll just take this in and then head out. Thanks for bringing him along Malon he's a fantastic conversationalist I'd say. Almost rarer than the monsters. Well goodbye."

At this he jumped off the crate and then began to drag it toward the door. He moved it with several great heaves and did not look at either of them as he did this. Malon climbed back onto the empty cart and Link followed her. They left him just as the door creaked shut and Link looked around at the sky. The sun was setting and pouring orange wafts across the whole field.

"Will there be Stalchildren out in the field?" Link asked.

"You heard what Jack said. If there are any left then they will be hidden out in the woods somewhere. They don't wander the fields like they used to. I don't even really remember when they stopped coming."

"I didn't know that." Link said, and he laughed. "For however long I've assumed there were Stalchildren out in the field and there was nothing."

It was a short ride back to the ranch, but the sky had turned dark by the time they arrived. Link jumped down and opened the barn door so that Malon could bring the cart in. They led the single horse into one of the unoccupied stalls which had a functioning door. Link retrieved the supplies from the back of the cart and put them into one of the cupboards, careful to keep them dry.

They headed back to the house and Link caught himself smiling on the way in. Malon headed up to her room, but Link stayed down in the kitchen. Talon was cooking something while Ingo sat and read a book in the corner.

It was obvious that Link had left his adventuring life behind. His days were mostly calm and predictable. There was no danger or dire emergencies left in the world for any hero to tend to. His life had shifted into something else so that Malon was more familiar than him with the world at large. The world didn't need an adventurer like he had been, and he was fine with that. Link supposed that he had been a little cooped up lately, but spending all of his time at the ranch allowed him to spend all of his time with Malon.


End file.
